1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a coin exchanger which is useful as a coin saver, a dispenser of a foreign coin or token in exchange for a United States or other coin, and an entertaining and fanciful device. In operation, a coin is placed in a slot on top of a closed plastic box, and a hand reaches up from the top of the box to retrieve the coin and retract it into the box. A foreign coin or token then is dispensed from an opening in the box.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,243,914 to Poynter a closed plastic box having a shallow coin slot on its top where insertion of a conducting coin into the slot actuates a battery operated electric motor. The coin box vibrates, and a portion of the lid opens and a simulated hand appears from the inside of the box to grasp the coin and quickly pull the coin into the box where it is stored and saved. Reference may be made to this prior art for a description of its construction and operation.
The present invention is an improvement over the referenced prior art, and adds to it a unique feature in which a coin or token is dispensed from the box through an opening in a side of the box. By virtue of this improvement the prior art device can be used as a coin exchanger in addition to its previous use as a coin bank and an entertainment.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel coin operated device which can be used as a coin saver, an entertainment and as a device for exchanging a specific coin for another coin or token.
Another object of this invention is a coin exchanger which is useful for exchanging a coin for a foreign coin and simultaneously provide entertainment.
A further object of this invention is an electrically operated coin exchanger in which insertion of a coin actuates a batter operated mechanism which causes the device to vibrate, opens a lid on the top from which a hand appears to grasp the coin and retract it into the device, and then dispenses a coin or token different from the original coin.